Indiana has the most promising player in college basketball in Cody Zeller (pictured), tons of returning talent in the likes of Christian Watford, Will Sheehey and Victor Oladipo and a coach in Tom Crean with a Final Four on his resume. So the Hoosiers make an attractive choice as a preseason No. 1. But they must grow considerably to fulfill that prediction—and also to fend off the impressive competition they will face within the Big Ten. Battles against the likes of Ohio State, Wisconsin and Michigan will force Indiana to improve or abdicate. — Mike DeCourcy

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2. Louisville

In determining a No. 1 team, we considered Indiana and Louisville and found that the primary difference is that Louisville has a lot of very good players and IU has an obviously great one. But “very good” has won the national title in recent years, most notably with Duke in 2010. And it’s not inconceivable that Louisville guard Wayne Blackshear could turn out to be special, or that point guard Peyton Siva (pictured) or center Gorgui Dieng could continue evolving in that direction. The Cardinals have all the depth, size and experience necessary to contend for the NCAA title. — Mike DeCourcy

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3. Ohio State

With Aaron Craft on the ball and Amir Williams on the back line, Ohio State should be the nation’s best defensive team. But on offense, the Buckeyes must be able to counter tactics designed to take star forward Deshaun Thomas (pictured) out of the game. None of the top teams has less margin for error if a key player encounters a short-term injury. The toughest part for the Buckeyes might be surviving such a loaded Big Ten with what appears to be a low-firepower attack. — Mike DeCourcy

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4. Kentucky

With Kentucky, the thing to do is trust that coach John Calipari has attracted enough talent to replace the truckload that just left of the program. It’s also safe to assume he will find the correct formula to mix the players he has gathered into a championship contender. It’s conceivable the Wildcats eventually will hit a snag, and if ever that’s going to happen, it’s now, with a point guard in Ryan Harrow who never was considered an elite prospect. But who’s betting against them? — Mike DeCourcy

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5. Michigan

This is the most talented team John Beilein has coached. He has multiple players with NBA potential, size up front and dynamic wings. Beilein generally has coached teams whose collective execution pushed results beyond what their individual skill level would have dictated. So what happens when he finally is in charge of exceptional talent such as Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr., (pictured) Glenn Robinson III and Mitch McGary? Raging success doesn’t automatically follow, but this appears to be a high-character group that will function well together. —Mike DeCourcy

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6. Duke

That thud ending to an inconsistent season left many with the perception that the Blue Devils are in a bit of a down cycle. Well, that’s just not true. There are quality players to build a team around, and there’s a pretty established coach pulling the strings. Mason Plumlee, Seth Curry and Ryan Kelly are all back, and they’ll be joined by two top-line talents in Rasheed Sulaimon and Amile Jefferson. If sophomore point guard Quinn Cook (pictured) develops, this team will contend. — Ryan Fagan

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7. Syracuse

The Orange lost a lot, but there’s still so much talent remaining here, including two consensus top-50 freshmen in DaJuan Coleman and Jerami Grant. Coach Jim Boeheim, who enters his 37th season at Syracuse with 890 victories and is 12 shy of Bob Knight for second on the all-time wins list, should record his 35th 20-win season. For SU to get back to the Final Four, freshman Trevor Cooney must step up as a go-to 3-point shooter and Rakeem Christmas and Baye Keita have to patrol the middle of the 2-3 zone effectively. — Scott Smith

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8. Arizona

Once the NBA Draft lured Derrick Williams off Arizona’s 2011 Elite Eight team, the Wildcats were exposed as a program still rebuilding from recruiting damage created by years of coaching instability. But the upward arc this time is no mirage: Arizona has quality depth, going 10 deep, thanks to four years of coach Sean Miller’s recruiting. The Wildcats have a good mix of youth and experience, of athleticism and size, toughness and finesse. Adding hard-nosed veteran Mark Lyons from Xavier to tie it all together at the point could launch this team toward a fulfilling postseason. — Bruce Pascoe

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9. North Carolina State

There is, without a doubt, reason for the optimism surrounding NC State, especially now that consensus top-15 recruit Rodney Purvis has been cleared by the NCAA. Purvis joins returning starters C.J. Leslie, Scott Wood, Richard Howell and Lorenzo Brown (pictured) to give the Wolfpack the best starting five in the ACC. The Wolfpack are legitimate contenders for a conference title and a top-three seed in the NCAA Tournament—though the lack of depth could be an issue. — Ryan Fagan

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10. Missouri

Coach Frank Haith has assembled what might be the best transfer class ever, headlined by center Alex Oriakhi. How this group comes together will determine whether the Tigers make a deep run into the NCAA Tournament or struggle through an uneven season. The Dynamic guard duo of Phil Pressey (pictured) and Michael Dixon can cover for any transition problems as the team meshes together. — Ryan Fagan

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11. UCLA

Coach Ben Howland kept the pressure off with his star-studded recruiting class, but he won’t have long to produce results—and that will become increasingly difficult if Shabazz Muhammad (pictured) or Kyle Anderson isn’t eligible to play at the beginning of the season. The Bruins reached three consecutive Final Fours under Howland but haven’t reached the Sweet 16 since 2008, which is unacceptable in Westwood. Physically, the Bruins can deploy an array of looks and talents that few teams can match. It’s the emotional side that’s another story. — Bruce Pascoe

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12. Kansas

It will be interesting to watch coach Bill Self establish playing time and rotations throughout the early portion of the schedule. There’s talent at Kansas—isn’t there always?—but no clear-cut formula for the Jayhawks to return to 30-win territory again this season. But, to bet against the coach that has won eight consecutive Big 12 regular-season championships just seems foolish. Center Jeff Withey (pictured) must develop as an offensive force like he did on defense last year, and Ben McLemore or Elijah Johnson must become a go-to scorer. — Ryan Fagan

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13. North Carolina

With so many newcomers filling big roles—and a couple returning from significant injuries—there will be hiccups. But if everyone buys in, this could be another very, very good Carolina team. There isn’t a team in the country with more depth or experience at shooting guard. Despite a modest freshman season during which he was buried in the nation’s most talented frontcourt, power forward James Michael McAdoo (pictured) is a blossoming superstar. The only big question is at the point: Can Roy Williams be patient with Marcus Paige? —Ryan Fagan

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14. Creighton

There’s not much the Bluejays lack entering the season as nine of the top 10 players return. Do-it-all forward Doug McDermott (pictured) is one of the nation’s best players, and he’s surrounded by a more-than-serviceable supporting cast led by big man Gregory Echenique and guard Grant Gibbs. If there is a mid-major capable of recreating the Butler magic, on paper, this looks like the one to do it. — Ken Bradley

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15. Memphis

These Tigers, representing coach Josh Pastner’s first full recruiting class, have been to the NCAA Tournament twice but each time lost their first game. Progress has not come as quickly as some might have liked, but a surge with Joe Jackson, Tarik Black and Chris Crawford (pictured) as juniors would appear to be right on time. The schedule is much more manageable than last year, when too much, too soon was asked of Memphis. If the Tigers play for one another and their coach, they might be the most dangerous of teams ranked outside our top 10. — Mike DeCourcy

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16. Florida

Shooters? Check. Size? Check. Depth? Check. Shooters? Check. Coaching? Check. Point guard? Well ... It’s this simple: If this team gets adequate point guard play from Scottie Wilbekin or Braxton Ogbueze, the Gators will challenge Kentucky and Missouri for the SEC title and make another deep run in the NCAA Tournament. Center Patric Young (center) could be in for a Thomas Robinson-like breakout season, and Wilbekin, Kenny Boynton and Erik Murphy are all 40-percent 3-point shooters. — Barry Reeves

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17. Wisconsin

With Bo Ryan at the helm, we’ve grown to expect the Badgers to simply plug in players, run their deliberate offense, frustrate teams and win—and there’s little reason to believe they can’t do it again this season. Wisconsin must overcome the graduation of floor general Jordan Taylor, but this team handles significant departures as well as anyone. The Badgers continued winning in recent years after losing star players Marcus Landry, Trevon Hughes and Jon Leuer. Ryan isn’t one to hand over a ton of minutes to a freshman, but Sam Dekker should buck that trend; he is athletic, can shoot from all over the court and can score points in bunches. — Ken Bradley

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18. Cincinnati

This is one of the deepest and most physical teams in Division I. Having a warrior such as Jaquon Parker to play small forward shows how rugged this team can be. He averaged 5.6 rebounds and pulled down double figures against Florida State’s nasty frontcourt. Becoming a serious Final Four contender will require juicing the offense. That will start with pushing the ball more frequently in transition and using the abundance of solid bench players to great effect. — Mike DeCourcy

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19. San Diego State

This group is reminiscent of the 34-3 Aztecs team that made the Sweet 16 two seasons ago. There’s experience, plenty of offensive options and a potential first-round NBA Draft pick on the wing. That player, Jamaal Franklin (pictured), could provide the same kind of leadership coach Steve Fisher’s last first-rounder, Kawhi Leonard, did during SDSU’s memorable 2010-11 run. In anticipation, the school already has sold out 12,414-seat Viejas Arena for its 15 home games. Fisher is going for his eighth consecutive 20-win season in San Diego. — Scott Smith

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20. UNLV

The combinations available up front are expansive and enticing and a reason this might be the top frontcourt in the country. Mike Moser (pictured) could be even more effective when sharing the load with top-10 power forward recruit Anthony Bennett and transfer center Khem Birch. Senior guards Anthony Marshall and Justin Hawkins lend continuity to the versatility the newcomers add. — David Steele

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21. Gonzaga

Ever since the Zags’ surprising run to the Elite Eight in 1999, the team has been full of good players. This might be the most talented of all Gonzaga clubs. Although the Zags have reached the NCAA Tournament 14 consecutive years, they’ve reached the Sweet 16 only once since 2006. Expect a deep NCAA Tournament run this March. This club has a star ready to shine in small forward Elias Harris, skill and toughness in the backcourt mates Kevin Pangos (pictured) and Gary Bell Jr. and plenty of frontline size and depth. — Barry Reeves

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22. Michigan State

There’s talent and experience on hand but a few more questions to answer than coach Tom Izzo usually has heading into a season. Much will depend on how firmly Keith Appling (pictured) takes control of this team and how well Derrick Nix, Branden Dawson and Adreian Payne do replacing Draymond Green’s numbers in the frontcourt. Freshman guard Gary Harris, a strong body with bouncy legs, could make an instant impact. — Scott Smith

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23. Murray State

OK, let’s get this out of the way: The Racers will not win 31 games this season or start the year 23-0. That’s too unrealistic for a team that lost several key cogs, including 33.2 points per game from departed seniors Donte Poole, Ivan Aska and Jewuan Long. But All-American point guard Isaiah Canaan (pictured) has the leadership qualities and talent to carry a team and will keep the Racers in the hunt for another NCAA appearance. He’ll need senior center Ed Daniel or transfer Dexter Fields to develop into a reliable No. 2. — Ken Bradley

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24. Notre Dame

The Irish will pressure Syracuse and Louisville at the top of the Big East and easily gain entrance to another NCAA Tournament. For them to make a run at the league title and reach a Sweet 16 for the first time in nine seasons, however, junior guard Jerian Grant must emerge as a legitimate force on offense and center Garrick Sherman and one of the freshmen (Cameron Biedscheid or Zach Auguste) must make significant contributions to help double-double machine Jack Cooley inside. —Scott Smith

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25. Virginia Commonwealth

The Rams’ NCAA tourney success has provided coach Shaka Smart’s program the necessary momentum to upgrade from CAA to A-10 competition. With seven key contributors from a balanced attack back, including senior point guard Darius Theus, and a strong freshman class, including top-100 recruit Melvin Johnson, there’s no reason this team shouldn’t immediately contend for the A-10 title in its first year in the league. — Scott Smith